NASSAU, Bahamas – Minister of State for Finance and the Public Service the Hon Zhivargo Laing acknowledge the dedication of public servants and the students who competed in an essay competition, during an awards ceremony last week.

 

The presentations were held at the Department of Public Service on Meeting Street, during which Mr. Laing also noted that as a service oriented economy, positive work ethic, attitudes and behaviours should be developed at an early age.

 

Awards were presented to the winner and runners-up of the 2008/09 National Public Service Officer of the Year and the Essay Competition for the Ninth Annual Public Service Week and Recognition of Retirees.

 

“I am most pleased that these award programmes have continued to generate interest and enthusiasm among public officers service-wide, and students in both our public and private junior and senior high schools,” Mr. Laing said.

 

Regarding the employee awards programme, he said that the level of participation is particularly noteworthy in light of the Government’s demonstrated commitment to service improvement.

 

“We are aware that in order to improve our conduct of the people’s business, we need to bring significant focus to bear on key service drivers such as security, accessibility, competence, reliability and other important features of the work environment,” Mr. Laing said.

 

“However, we are also aware that the human element is of paramount importance to bringing about the necessary changes to improve and enhance the quality of service that our citizens desire and deserve,” he added.

 

In this vein, he said that hosting an essay competition under the theme: “The Public Service Focused on Improving the Delivery of Quality Customer Service”, was also in keeping with the government’s service improvement mandate for the Public Service.

 

The winner and runner-up in each of the high school categories were chosen from 16 entrants in New Providence.

 

“I am told that as with the nominees for the Public Service Officer of the Year, the essay submissions were of a very high quality,” Mr. Laing said. “This is indeed testimony to the fact that even at the high school level, the students have a keen awareness and appreciation of what is required to improve our levels of performance and standards of service delivery in the public sector.”

 

Winner of the National Public Service Officer of the Year is Paula Mae Russell – Cabinet Office; First Runner Up, Neil Braithwaite; Second Runner-Up, Andrea Deleveaux, Department of Public Service and Third Runner-Up Ann Archer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Winners of the Essay Competition are: Dashanique Moss, First Place, Crooked Island High School; Alyssa Pratt, Second Place, Queens’ College Senior High School Division; Lakell Ferguson, First Place, St. Anne’s Junior High School’ and Wayde M. Henfield, Second Place, A.F. Adderley Junior High School.

 

  

 

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 Minister of State for Finance and the Public Service the Hon Zhivargo Laing congratulates winners and runners-up of the 2008/2009 National Public Service Officer of the Year Awards and the Essay Competition, for the Ninth Annual Public Service Week and Recognition of Retirees. Pictured from left following a ceremony on Thursday, January 22 are: Pandora Johnson, vice president, College of the Bahamas; Gelize Ferguson, representing Neil Braithwaite, first runner-up, Office of the Attorney General; Rosemary Gibson, chairman, Public Service Week Committee; Ann Archer, third runner-up, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Antoinette Thompson, deputy permanent secretary/coordinator essay competition and awards programme; Minister Laing; Paula Mae Russell, winner, Cabinet Office; Andrea Deleveaux, second runner-up, Department of Public Service; Cynthia Gibbs, deputy permanent secretary, Paula McGregor, secretary, Public Service Commission/chair, awards ceremony committee; and Ophelia Cooper, director of training.

(BIS Photo/Kristaan H A Ingraham II)

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The Ninth Annual Public Service Week Essay Competition was held among students in the country. Pictured are winners and runners-up with Minister of State for Finance and the Public Service the Hon Zhivargo Laing during a ceremony on Thursday, January 22. Pictured from left are Rosemary Gibson, chairman, Public Service Week Committee; Antoinette Thompson, deputy permanent secretary/coordinator essay competition; Wayde Henfield, second place winner, A.F. Adderley Junior High School; Lakell Ferguson, first place, St Anne’s Junior High School; Minister Laing; Dashanique Moss, first place, Coorked Island High School; Alyssa Pratt, second place, Queen’s College Senior High School Division; Cynthia Gibbs, deputy permanent secretary; Paula McGregor, secretary, Public Service Commission; Ophelia Cooper, director of training. Standing at the back is Joe Lewis, district superintendent, MICAL.

(BIS Photo/Kristaan H A Ingraham II)